MAIN PARTIES TAKE BEATING IN LOCAL ELECTIONS
LONDON Britain’s main Conservative and Labour parties took a hammering in local elections as Brexit-weary voters expressed frustration over the country’s stalled departure from the European Union.
Almost three years after Britain voted narrowly to quit the EU, both the date and terms of departure remain unclear amid political gridlock in Parliament. Friday’s results from local elections a day earlier suggested voters blame both the governing Conservatives and main opposition Labour Party for the impasse.
With results in from more than two-thirds of the 259 local authorities up for grabs, the governing Conservatives had lost more than 700 seats. The left-of-centre opposition Labour Party, which had hoped to increase its tally of local councillors, lost 87.
The Conservatives had held about 60 per cent of the more than 8,000 seats being contested across England and Northern Ireland. Elections are not being held in London, Scotland or Wales.
The Conservatives and Labour are bracing for even worse results in the European elections on May 23. They’ll face additional opposition from the new anti-EU Brexit Party and the pro-European Change U.K. Neither ran in Thursday’s local elections.
Britain was due to leave the EU in March, but the departure has been delayed until Oct. 31.